For All Time

Chapter 5: The Winter Ball

Katara pov

The entrance to the ball room was decorated with white ice roses and blue lilacs. Everyone was dress in different shades of blue and white. I looked at all the smiling faces in the room, but one stood out to me the most. I saw him standing there by the entrance with a smile on his face. He was dressed in a black robe, that had a silver like blue on the edges. His black hair was pulled into a topknot and I could see his eyes more clearly. His smile was so warm and it made me want to sprint down to him. I did my best to walk to the beat of the song, so as not to run to him.

When I approached him I noticed he was holding a snow orchid, "This is for you" He said quietly handing it to me.

"Thank you Zuko" I said giving him a hug. "How do you like the ball so far?"

"It's really something, you look beautiful" He said smiling more if that was possible.

"Thanks you don't look so bad yourself." I said punching him lightly on the arm.

"Katara" I heard my grandmother's voice behind me, turning I saw her looking at me with an eyebrow raised, Sokka stood beside her with a smile on his face. "How is this?"

"This is Zuko, he works down in the stables." I said introducing him to them

"Sokka, Prince Sokka" Sokka said coming up and shaking Zuko's hand.

"Zuko, this is my grandmother, Empress Kana" I said gesturing to my grandmother.

"It is an honor, your highness" Zuko said taking her hand and kissing it like a gentleman. I smiled because I knew it was the right thing to do.

"The pleasure is all mine, Zuto" She said

"Zuko" I corrected her

"Well lets go grab something to drink Sokka" She said walking away and Sokka waved bye quietly.

"She's...Sweet" Zuko said smiling nervously

"Yeah as sweat as a king cobra monkey" I said shaking my head at her behavior, and she thought I acted rude.

A new song began to play, and I began to tap my foot at the beat, "Would you like to dance?" Zuko asked holding out his hand.

"Of course" I said taking it and he led me into the center of the dance floor. Usually I had two left feet when it came to dancing, but the way he slowly guided me around the floor made me a lot more comfortable. I actually felt like the graceful princess I was supposed to be. The song ended, and he dipped my as the last note rang out into the night.

"You're a wonderful dancer" I said with a smile

"Only when I have a great partner" He said back with an equally excited smile.

"Excuse me guests" I heard someone say from on stage. Turning I noticed my grandfather stood in the middle, with my grandmother and brother on his left and my father on his right. Everyone stopped their speaking and moving when the emperor started speaking.

"Today we celebrate the arrival of the winter season, but I wish to celebrate something more important tonight" Grandfather Pakku said clearly, "Would Princess Katara join us on stage please"

Zuko smiled reasuringly at me, as I walked towards the stage. All eyes were on my back and I felt very nervous. Keeping my head held high and my breathing even, I joined my father on grandfather pakku's right.

"My people, today is a special night, because I have chosen a future husband for my beloved granddaughter." The word Husband rang around my head like someone just blew a loud horn in it. I was only sixteen did he really wish for me to marry now? The crowd was silent and I felt myself stop breathing. Zuko had a look of shock and sadness on his face. I wanted to run away and cry in my room for the rest of the night, but was cemented to the floor, not literally.

"The citzens of the northern water tribe I give you lord Kato." Lord Kato was the son of a very rich nobleman, who was constantly kissing up to my grandfather. While the nobleman was nice and all, his son was spoiled and very self centered. At twenty-two years of age he was expected to be married by now.

Kato approached me with a proud grin on his face, "Princess" He said taking my hand a putting a slobbery kiss on it.

"Lord Kato, it is always a pleasure" I said through my teeth, and put on my brilliant fake smile.

"Let the Party continue" My grandfather called out and everyone returned to what they had originally been doing, that did not included me.

"So are you excited to be getting married" My grandmother said coming up to me and hugging me.

"No, why should I have to marry someone I do not love?" I said to her, the tears threatening to spill over.

"Darling this isnt about you, Kato's father is one of the richest and powerful men in the country. Kato will make a wonderful husband." She said trying to look on the bright side again.

"But if I do marry I want it to be for love, not money or power" I said becoming more upset, she was treating this whole situation like it was the greatest thing to happen to me.

"Love will come in time, and for now Kato is the closest thing you can get to a real prince. Now be a good fiancé and fetch your future husband a drink" She said turning me and pushing my towards the refreshments table. There I put my hands on the table to support myself and began to sob quietly. Thats when I noticed someone was holding a napkin out to me. I looked up to see my favorite golden orbs staring back at me.

"I am so sorry Katara" He said as I took the napkin and tried to clean myself up.

"I just can't believe they would do this to me" I said, and the tears came more

"Come on I am getting you out of here, you look like your going to faint" Zuko said wrapping an arm around my waist to help support me.

Out in the court yard, I let the cool air hit my face, and felt very calm all of a sudden.

"What so bad about this arranged marrage?" Zuko asked quietly

"Do you understand the rules of marriage in the northern water tribe?" I asked looking up at him, only for him to shake his head no. "Well, everyone's marriage is arranged by the oldest members of their families. The husbands, basically hold all the power in the relationship, they decide when we have children, how many you have, whether the women is to stay home all day and run the house or be able to go out and work in public."

"That's...That's terrible" Zuko said putting a hand on my shoulder

"And once your engaged there is no way out of it. Which means I am stuck with Kato forever" I sobbed more, but this time I put my face in his chest. Zuko being the great friend that he was put his arms around me.

I kept sobbing and playing thoughts of my future with Kato in my head. I could not stop the tears from coming, and Zuko did the best that he could to comfort me. Even his silence, was more than I could ask for. I felt myself tiring from my heavy sobbing, and sleep was calling to me.

"Come on, we should get you in bed" Zuko said standing, but keeping his arms around me just incase I fell. I was so tired I was barely awake on the way up.

Zuko lay me on my plush bed and removed my shoes, and let my hair free. "Is there anything else you need?" He asked sliding his hands through my hair.

"No" I said as he turned to leave I grabbed his arm, "Will you be at the stables tomorrow?"

"Yes, like every other day" He said putting his hand over mine on his arm

"Okay" I said as he kissed me on the head, he than leased my hand and walked back to the door, "Goodnight Zuko"

"Goodnight Princess" He said pulling the door shut and letting the darkness take hold of my room.

That night I expected to have nightmares about my future with Kato, but instead I dreamt about Zuko and how his smile fit perfectly on his face, how his scar gave him a mysterious appearance, and a lot of other things. That night my heart fluttered the whole time I slept.

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